In May 2025, the NFL mourned the death of Jim Irsay. Passing away at 65, the businessman first purchased the Baltimore Colts in the early 1970s. Moving them to Indianapolis only a few years later, the CEO gained a net worth of over $4.8 billion. And it seemed that Irsay used a portion of his wealth to build an impressive collection of music memorabilia. With the collection heading to auction, Jerry Garcia’s famed guitar sold for nearly $12 million. Although shocking – it wasn’t the most expensive guitar sold.
When fashioning the guitar that would be known as “Tiger”, Doug Irwin spent six years working on the instrument. Completing it in 1979, Tiger remained by Garcia’s side throughout the decades that followed. It was even reported that Garcia used the guitar during his last performance with the Grateful Dead, but those rumors were criticized by the group’s road manager, Steve Parish.
With Tiger holding such a significant spot in the history of the Grateful Dead, Irsay originally bought the guitar for $957,500. And it appeared the NFL owner got an amazing deal. When put up for auction recently, it sold for a staggering $11.5 million. During the initial inventory of Irsay’s collection, experts expected Garcia’s guitar to fetch around $2 million. But even with Tiger blowing the estimates out of the water, it still wasn’t the most expensive guitar ever.
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The Guitar That Beat Jerry Garcia
The title for the most expensive guitar ever went to David Gilmour’s “Black Strat” guitar. Another part of Irsay’s collection, the auction took place in New York on Thursday. With Garcia already making headlines, Gilmour’s guitar sold for a whopping $14.55 million. Used during recordings for The Dark Side of the Moon, The Wall, and Wish You Were Here, the Black Strat guitar was a historic piece of Pink Floyd’s history.
As for Irsay, Christie’s The Jim Irsay Collection auction promoted itself as “One of the greatest troves of memorabilia ever assembled, meticulously compiled over decades by the late philanthropist, passionate music lover, and owner and CEO of the Indianapolis Colts.” With that collection holding pieces of history from the Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd, it’s safe to say Irsay’s passion for music rivaled his success in the NFL.
The auction will continue through March 17, giving collectors and music fans a chance to bid on several historic pieces. According to Christie’s, a portion of the proceeds from the sales will be donated to philanthropic causes that Irsay supported throughout his lifetime, continuing his legacy of giving back.
(Photo by Larry Hulst/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)